Demountable spotlamp with extension cord



Oct. 16, 1928.

E. a. K. ANDERSON DEMOUNTABLE SPOTLAMP WITH EXTENSION CORD Filed Feb.10, 1926 SSheets-Shept J72 T/7'2'f07") ,27777525 flrcdezaoyz oct; 16, 1928. I 1,687,651

E. G. K. ANDERSON DEMOUNTABLE SPOTLAMP WITH EXTENSION CORD Filed Feb. 10, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 2 ""HHHWTHIHHHI' IHHH Oct. 16, 1928. 1,687,651

E. G. K. ANDERSON DEMOUNTABLE SPOTLAMP WITH EXTENSION CORD I Filed Feb. 10, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Fetented Oct. 7 ltd, 1923.

UNITED sir Til s isten ears-NT -oFF1c ERNST'G. ANDERSON,1OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASESIGNOR TOAPPLEION ELECTRIC "COMPANY, A GOEPORATEON SF ILLINOIS.

DEMOUNTABLE SPGTLAMP WITH EXTENSION CORD.

Application filed February 10,1926. Serial No. 87 281.

dinary useon its support; the shunt being preferably connected automatically when the lamp is placed in position on its support.

A further object of the present invention is to improve generallythe construction of spot lamps in the casings of which are mounted reels for extension cords.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter he pointed out with particularity in the claims; but; for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference maybe had to the following de tailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: p

Figure l is a central Vertical section through a spot lamp embodyingmy improvements, including theimmediate supporting means for the lamp; F 1g. 2 1s a central vertical section, on an enlarged'scale, through a portion of the lamp support; F g. ga 11/ top plan View of the lower stationary part of the support shown in Fig. 2, the upperturntable member being omitted, and the Vertical pinion for, rotating the lamp being shown in section; Fig. 4: is a top plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2; 5'is an edge View of the plates or discssecured on the upper end of the long vertical pinion, show-' ing one of the terminals of the extension cord and Fig. 6 is asection taken approximately on line 66 of Fig. l. f V The spot lamp shown in the drawings is similar to that disclosed in my prior applica tion, Serial Number 745.789 filedtGctober 25,1924, and need not therefore be described, other than briefly; Except to the. extent hereinafter. pointed out th'e details of the lamp structure form no part of the present invention and may be varied at will.

Referring to the drawings, 1. represents a sheet metal rearwardly-coned casing, open at its front end, 2 the usualreflector, 23' is 10 and the reflector.

.the usual crown lens, and a is the usual troughsshaped ring for holding the parts together. j v i The cord-receiving reel is located in the casing in rearof the reflector and between it and the rewinding spring The spring is housed in a cup-shaped barrel 6 havingits mouth-directed rearwardly and closed by a plate 7. The inner end of the spring is attached to a metalsleeve 8 eo-axial withjthe like part9 extendingrearwardlyat the oew ter and htted into the frontend of thesleeve 8. Between the reflector and the spring barrel is a cup-shaped sheetmetal member 10. having is mouth directed forwardly audits sides extendiiig forwardly from the bottom wall of the cup in the formof a cylinderand then flaring laterally to follow the configuration ofthe reflector. The member .10 is inlugs or ears ll struck up from thelatter and 05 lamp casing, whilethe outerendislixed to the barrel. The reflector has a short sleeverteriocired with thespring barrel by means of passingthroughholes in the bottom wall of i the former. A spacing ring 12 is placed on e the sleeve .8 between the bottom of thecup The extensioncord 13 is wound about the member 10, the front wall of the spring barrel forming the rear wall or side of the trough in whichthe cord lies. p i

lVithin the sleeve 8 is'a lamp socket 14 of any usual or suitable construction toreceive the base-15 of an electric lamp; the socket being slidable lengthwise and being held against rotation by a screw 33 passing throughgthesleeve?) and extending into an elongated slot in the socket.

Behind and coaxial with the sleeve S'isa post '16 of insulating material. betweenfwhich and the-rear wall of "the lampqcasing is placed a helical springll. A screw 18 passes through the apex: ofthe casing and into the 'rear end of the pos t,the screw being free to movelengthwise with respect to the" lamp casing. The sprin'g ll is placed under an initial compressionso as to hold the head of the screw yieldingly against the casing; thus .perniitting the post 16 and the lamp socket to be drawn rearwardly by the screw or pushed forward bythe spring to focus the lamp. Into the front end of the post is screweda'metal plug 19fwithin which, and (JOflXll-l WltltiWlHCh; 1s a sliding pm 20 having at its front end a head -21 :tor engagement with the central contact or terminal on the lamp base. A spring 22 is arranged between the head of the pin and the front end of the plug, for. the purpose of pressingthe head of the pin against thelamp base. Surround ing the plug 19, directly in front of the post 16, is a metal disc 23 that may be made cupshaped at the middle to fit over the end of the post. Directly in front of the disc 23 is a metal fork 24 having in its upper end an opening through which the plug passes, and extending down toward the bottom of the lamp casing. In front of the fork 24, and between the same and the rear end of the sleeve 14, is a thick disc 25 of insulating material, 3

and in front of this disc is a second smaller disc 26, also of insulating material, fitting into the rear end of the sleeve 14. The front end of the plug is enlargedin diameterto form a head 27. When the parts are assembled and the plug is screwed into-the post,

the head engages with the disc 26, and presses.

this disc, the disc 25, the fork 24, and the 3 disc 23 against the front end of the post. 25.

One end of one of the conductors of the extension cord, as ind cated at 28, 1s grounded to the plate 7that closes the rear end of, the spring'barrel, while the corresponding end of the other conductor, as indicated at 29, is fastened to a bracket fastened at one end to the fork 24 by a screw 31 or otherwise,

and supported from the plate 7, while insu-- lated from the latter plate by means of insulation 32. M

The lamp casing has an opening in the bottom near the front end thereof, and extending through this opening is a sleeve 35 of heavier metal than that of which the easing ismade, the upper end of the sleeve being flanged laterally, as indicated at 36 to overlie the metal of the casing. surrounding the openmg; the sleeve belng permanently fastened. to the casing in any usual or suit-able way.

Theimmediate support for the lamp casing is a turntable 37 having in the top, as best shown in Fig. 4, a curved slot 38 forming somewhat less than a complete circle; the sleeve 35 being adapted to rest in this slot.

'The sleeve, of course, has'a section cut out of one s1de so as to glve 1t an angular length equal to that of the slot. A'holding screw device 39, passing into oneside of the turntable, serves to fasten the sleeve and the turntable together. lVhen the lamp is to be removed, the screw device 39/is backed off;

permitting the sleeve to be lifted fromthe turntable. In order to prevent the screw device, from being accidentally detached and' mislaid, I prefer so to construct it that 1t cannot become detached during ordinary use; To this end, I place in the side of the turntable an outwardly-opening, comparatively deep socket 40, in the bottom of which islocated the head 41 of the screw which engages with the sleeve. Into'the socket, outwardly port 54.

the cord. formed by a cord or cable that makes clectrical connection with the contactiplate 60' from the head 41, is pressed a ring 42-whose internal diameter'isless'than the diameter of the'head" 41. The head41 has a central square'projection 43 that fitsinto a socket 44 in the end of a stem '45 on the outer end of which is a knob or head 46 for turning the same. A screw 47 passes axially through the stem and into the projection 43. It will thus be seen that thescrew device may be fixed to the end of a tubular stem 53 rotatable about its long axis in a stationary sup- Theturntable' is held upon the base by meansof anelongatedpinion 55 that extends verticallythrough the turntable and the base,;the pinionbeing rotatable in the base and being preferably provided with a smooth lower headed portion 56 toform a bearing therefor in the base. The opening i l t bl h' ltl in me tuintae, tniou n \v ilci 1c pinion Qasses is shaped to fit the 'Jinion so as to interlock the turntable and thepinion for rotation in UDISOILWltll each other. Overlying the turntable and the upper end of the elongated pinion are a plurality of discs of insulating material. There may convenently-be two thin discs 57 and an upper thick disc; 58. A screw 59 passes through the discs and into the pinion. The discs 5!.

are cutaway at one side to provide a recess to receive a combined contact and terminal in the form of a small'metal plate 60 lying underneath the disc 58'- the late havin" an eyelet 61 formed at one end: and passing upwardly through the disc 58.1 At the other end of 'thefplate is'a clip 62 that passes up through a hole 63 in the-disc 58; The conductor within the lamp casing, whose end 29 is fastened-to the bracket 30. is fastened at its other'end t-o'the clip (32. The corresponding-end of the other conductor is fastened in anysuitable way to theturntableso as to In the make, metallic contact therewith. arrangement shown, the several discs above the turntable have a hole 64 cut through the same and there is'a terminal 65 fastened to the turntable by a screw'66, passingup through the hole and having a clip 67 to receive the conductor. The metal parts of the supports serve as one sideof the electrical'circuit to carry the current" to theturntable and thence to, one of the conductors in The otherside of the circuit '15 that will now be describcc. V c Referring particularly to Figure 2, it Wlll be seen that there s a cable 70 extending 53 into a chamber within the base 52. The

end of this 'cable is fastened to a metal washer-like plate 71 mounted in the base 52 just below the central portion of the turntable,the connection being indicated at 72'. In the arrangement shown, the plate 71 overlies a disc 73 of insulating; material having in the center an opening considerably larger in diameter than the dian'ieteroi": the pinion. The metal of the plate is flanged downwardly and then outwardly through this openinmaas indicated at 74. Underneath the disc 73 is a'seconddisc 75 that keeps the flanged central portion of the metal plate out of contact with the base. Overlying the marginal portions of the plate 71 is a ring 76 0'1; insulating material that insures against metal contact between the plate and the turntable.

The turntable has a hole 7? extending entirely through the same directly below the eyelet 61, this hole being considerably larger in diameter than the opening in the eyelet.

Fitted within the hole 77 is a bushing 78 of in-. sulatmg material. Within the bushing 1s a resilient contact piece which, inthe' arrange ment shown, consists of a centralsheet metal shell 7 9 within which are slidably arranged two thimblesSOand 81, one projecting out of the top and theother out of the bottonn The inner ends ofthe thimbles are larger in di ameter than the outer ends, and the endsot the shell 79 are flanged inwardly, thereby preventing complete separation of the thimbles' from the shell. Within the shell is a long spring 82 whose ends rest in the thimbles. The parts are so proportioned that the lower thimble rests on the metal plate? 1, while the upper thimhle passes through the eyelet G1. The upper thimble makes metallic contact with the eyelet, and additional contact may be had through the engagement of the upper end ofthe shell 79 withthe eyelet or the platetit). This resilient contact rotates with the turntable, when the latter is turned, but always remains in contact with the plate 71 andthe plate 60. i 7

When the lamp is disconnected from the turntable and removed to a remote point, cur rent is supplied. to one of the conductors in, the cord through the cable 70, the plate 71, the resilient contact, the plate 60 and the clip 69/.

ll hen the lamp is being used in thenormal way as a spotlight, the upper thimble engages with a metal finger 84 mounted in the l'iOltOllOflllQ lamp casing, but insulated therefrom by suitable insulating material 85; one

end of the finger lying directly abovethe thimble. The linger as is part of a long strip of metal whose opposite end is bent upwardly to forma linger 86 that engages with the disc 23. Therefore when the lamp is in use asa spot lamp. the parts being asseu'ibled as shown in Fig". l, the current for the lamp not required to pass through any part of the extensionicord, butmay flow directly from the contact thimble through the connected fingers 8aand 86 and the disc 23 to the plug ll) and then through the pin 20 to the central, tern'nnal oil the lamp base. The returning current flows from the socket 14- directly to the metal parts of the lamp structurewhich make metallic contact with the turntable. However when thespot lamp is detached and removed to a remote point, both conductors of the extension cord come into play," current flowing through them andthe lamp between the terminal clips 62 and 67. i

In order to avoid subjecting the clips 62 and 67 to pulling stresses when the spot lamp is detached, the extension cord is passed through a hole in the top ofa cap orshield 90 fastened upon the turntable and housing the plates 5"? and 58.: A knot 91 is tied in the extension cord underneath the shield, so'that a pull .onthecord is transmitted through the knot to the shield, and the fastenings forthe ends of the conductors are unaffected. The shieldhas a: slot 92 cut through the same to permit the thimble 80 to come in contact with the linger 84:.

The turntable is rotated on thebase 52 by means oil we rack bars extending lengthwise through the tubular stem and lying on oppo site sides of the pinion. Only one of these racl: bars isshown, at 96,"since this feature forms the subject of another application of even date herewith- While the lamp casing, the reflector and the lens may take any desired forms, I prefer to make use of the spring 17 in the rear end of theorising to hold these parts together in a manner to prevent rattling, while permittingready assembly and-separation of the parts. The lamp casing has a flange lOO arOund its opeirtront end, agziinstwhich the reflectorrests. The marginal portion of this flange 1s bent forwardly indicated'at 101, and the reflector. also has a forwardly-moiecting llll) llU but thelens is simply set against the front of i the reflector within the area bounded by the flange 102.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of ice provided with an extension corduto supply lamp current when the lamp structure is detached, and means for delivering current to the lamp independently of said cord whenthe lamp structure is connected to said support.

a 3, In a spot lamp a support, a lamp structure detachably connected to said support and provided with an extension cordto sup ply lamp current when the lampstructure is detached terminals on said support and current conductors independent of the cord leading from the lamp andadapted to engage with said terminals when the lamp structure is attached to the support.

4. In a spot lamp a metal support constituting a terminal, a lamp structure detachably' connected to said support and provided with an extension cord to supply lamp current when the lamp structure is detached, a second terminal on and insulated from the support,

said lamp structure having metal parts, independent of said cord to engage said'second terminal and supply lamp current When said lamp structure is attached to the support.

5. In a spot lamp, a support, a lamp struc ture detachably connected to said support and provided with an extension cord to supply lamp current when the lamp structure is'de tached,a terminal on said support to which one of the conductors of said cord is connect, ed, a yieldable contact piece in electricallyconductive relation to said terminal, and means independent of said conductor, and including an element adapted to engage said yieldable contact piece, to convey current therefrom to the lamp when the lampstructure' isattac-hed to said support.

6. In a spot lamp, a supporting base, a turntable on said base, a lamp structure, including an extension cord, detachably mounted on i said turntable, terminals on said turntable to which the conductors of said extension cord are attached, and a shield connected to the turntable and overlying said terminals, the extension cord passing through an opening in said shield, and an enlargement on the cord below the shield to transmit a pull of the cord to the shield instead of to the terminals.

'2'. In a spot'lamp, a supporting base, a turntable on said base, an annular Icontactplate on said'basebclow the turntable, a terminal on top of the turntable, and a resilient con 1 tact piece extending downwardly fronisaid I istering openings forming-a vertical passage through the same, and an endwise y1eldable contact piece arranged in said passage and pressed yieldingly against said terminal plate and said contact plates.

9. In aspot lamp, a supporting base, a turntable on said base, a lamp structure detachably connected tosaid turntable and provided I with an extension cord, an annular Contact plate on the base below saidturntable, a terminal plate upon said turntable, one of the conductors of said. cord being connected to said terminal plate, said terminal and said turntable ha'viu registering openings therethrough forming an upright passage, an endwise yieldable contact piece arranged in said passage and resting on said contact plate, and conducting means, independent of said conductontor conveying current between said yieldable contact plate and saidlamp when the-lamp structure is attached to the turntable, saidconducting means including a part adapted to engage the upper end of said contact piece. I

.10. In a spot lamp, having an extension cord, a turntable having an arc-shaped'groove in the top,a lamp casing having aneckfitted into said groove, said turntable having in the side a socket, a holding screwfor the casing passing through the socket and against said neck, an enlargement on the screw within the socket, and a partpressed into the socket outwardly or. the said enlargement to engage with th'e latte'r and prevent removal of the screw. 5 i

In testimony whereof,I sign this specificationQ ERNST G. 'K. ANDERSON. 

